Solid state replacement for an Audio Innovations 500 amp

[Barry]

Guys,

I need your advice. A friend of mine runs an Audio Innovations 500 integrated valve amplifier into a pair of Impulse H2 horn-loaded loudspeakers.

His amp has just gone pop; sounds serious - I suspect the primary transformer winding has gone open circuit. He's having the amp seen to at the moment, but has asked me to ask you to suggest a suitable solid-state replacement.

The AI 500 produces 15w/channel from a pair of EL34s. The Impulse H2 have a sensitivity of 94dB for 1 Watt. He is looking for a solid-state integrated replacement/back-up amplifier and wants to spend no more than £1,200.

Any ideas would be greatfully received.

Thanks

Regards

[Spectral Morn]

Guys,

I need your advice. A friend of mine runs an Audio Innovations 500 integrated valve amplifier into a pair of Impulse H2 horn-loaded loudspeakers.

His amp has just gone pop; sounds serious - I suspect the primary transformer winding has gone open circuit. He's having the amp seen to at the moment, but has asked me to ask you to suggest a suitable solid-state replacement.

The AI 500 produces 15w/channel from a pair of EL34s. The Impulse H2 have a sensitivity of 94dB for 1 Watt. He is looking for a solid-state integrated replacement/back-up amplifier and wants to spend no more than £1,200.

Any ideas would be greatfully received.

Thanks

Regards

S/H Pathos Acoustics Classic One mk2 (don't touch the MK1 with a barge pole) the Mk3 is very good too but a tad brighter.

This is a beautiful valve hybrid of 75watts Class A. It will be a touch brighter and less full than the AI 500 but it is a fabulous amplifier and a firm fave of mine. It sounds better if used via its balanced XLR inputs over the RCAs. So if your friend has a CD player etc with a set of XLR outs (assuming its true balanced) he should use it this way. RCA inputs sound great as well just not as good as the XLR in.





A S/H Sugden A21se would be another option.


Regards D S D L

[The Grand Wazoo]

Barry,
Does the new amp need to have a phono stage?

[Barry]

Barry,
Does the new amp need to have a phono stage?

Strictly speaking yes. He has been gradually replacing his LPs with CDs, but there could well be some LPs he will not be able to replace, or at least not for some time. He plays vinyl rarely, via a Mitchel/Rega/Ortophon setup using an Hi-Fi News 'Black Head'(?) transformer.

He does not run a tuner and only records/plays cassettes once in a blue moon.

Can't really tell you what he wants from a system, save to say he's happy with what he has, but is looking for a transistorised replacement. He likes my system; says it's more detailed and has more clarity and impact than his, but does appreciate the much better extended bass his Impulse speakers achieve.

Regards

[Barry]

S/H Pathos Acoustics Classic One mk2 (don't touch the MK1 with a barge pole) the Mk3 is very good too but a tad brighter.

This is a beautiful valve hybrid of 75watts Class A. It will be a touch brighter and less full than the AI 500 but it is a fabulous amplifier and a firm fave of mine. It sounds better if used via its balanced XLR inputs over the RCAs. So if your friend has a CD player etc with a set of XLR outs (assuming its true balanced) he should use it this way. RCA inputs sound great as well just not as good as the XLR in.





A S/H Sugden A21se would be another option.


Regards D S D L

Thanks Neil,

but the amplifier has to be solid-state. The Sugden would fit the bill. I'll look at the spec. Any idea how much they fetch on the s/h market?

Regards

[The Grand Wazoo]

.........and is secondhand in the frame or must he have new?

[The Grand Wazoo]

I guess the answer to the 2nd hand question is yes then!
I was going to suggest a 2nd hand LFD.

[Barry]

.........and is secondhand in the frame or must he have new?

Would prefer new, but £1,200 is the absolute limit. Unfortuately he has been out of the Hi Fi loop for some years now, so probably doesn't realise how much stuff cost these days. For example he is also thinking of replacing his elderly CD transport for a newer one. Found an ex-demo Cambridge CD93, but balked at the ~ £400 being asked for it.

[DSJR]

The thing for me is - I found the AI500 rather thick and clogged sounding, as if a blanket had been thrown over the performers. There's no way a solid state amp will mimic this unless it's very sick indeed...

How about a Puresound A30 or, if he can stretch to it, a Croft Micro Basic with Series 7 power amp? I know the latter very well now and it is so good at what it does. Some tube-rolling might mellow it down a bit too (Mullard Long Plates perhaps?) to take the edge off the speakers.

For good used amps, Jimmy Hughes used DNM's for years (probably still does) and these drove the Impulse speakers he had to very high levels with no strain or stress at all. The sonic clarity on a good day could be breath-taking too.

[Dave Hewitt]

Hi
The dpa amps are supposed to be very good with the h2 speakers,not that expensive second hand.My own choice would be a pass f3.
Dave.